Fingerprinting machine



Feb. 24, 1953 F. JOHNSON ET AL 2,629,194

FINGERPRINTING MACHINE Filed Nov. 15, 1950 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 INVENTORSlliclhnsorz ATTORNEYS Patented Feb. 24,

FINGERPRINTING MACHINE Lloyd Fredrick Johnson and Richard ThomasTennant, Portland, Oreg'.

Application November 15, 1950, Serial No. 195,843 6 Claims. 01. 41-4)This invention relates to a fingerprinting machine.

An object of this invention is to provide a machine which is designedfor use in banks or other money handling institutions which will permitthe impressing of fingerprints on checks, notes or other documents foridentification purposes.

Another object of this invention is to provide a fingerprinting machinewhich includes means whereby the quality of the fingerprint may bequickly determined.

A further object of this invention is to provide a fingerprintingmachine which is of simple construction and can be used with varioustypes or kinds of ink, including invisible ink.

A further object of this invention is to provide a machine of this kindwhich includes means for adjusting the document holder so that documentsof different sizes may be used with the machine.

With the above and other objects in view, our invention consists in thearrangement, combination and details of construction disclosed in thedrawings and specification, and then more particularly pointed out inthe appended claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a fingerprinting machine constructedaccording to an embodiment of this invention.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section of the machine.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure2.

Figure 5 is a longitudinal section of a modified form of this invention.

Referring to the drawings, and, first, to Figure 1 to 4, inclusive, thenumeral l0 designates generally a housing which is formed of a baseopposite side walls I2, a top wall l3, a downwardly curved front walll4, and a downwardly inclined rear wall I5. An intermediate wall orpartition I6 is disposed between the side and top walls and the bottomwall thereby dividing the housing into a pair of compartments l1 and |8,respectively. The compartment I1 is the forward inking compartment andhas mounted therein an ink well or reservoir I9 which is disposed on thebottom 20 of a substantially U- shaped frame 2|. The frame 2| is formedwith vertical sides 22 which are positioned against the inner sides ofthe side walls I2.

An inking roller 23 is rotatably mounted on a shaft 24 carried by a.pair of levers 25 which are rockably mounted on a pivot shaft 26extending between the side walls l2 at the forward ends of the latter.

' A spring 21 is secured between the forward end of each lever 25 andthe bottom member 20 so as to constantly urge the levers 25 to rockupwardly at their rear ends and raise the inking roller 23 intocontacting relation with an upper roller 28. The upper roller 28 issecured to a shaft :29 having a crank 30 at one end which extends fromone of the side walls |2 so that the roller 28 may be rotated in orderto provide for an even distribution of ink on the peripheral surfacethereof. The upper roller 28 projects through an opening or slot 3|formed in the front wall |4 so that the projecting portion of the roller28 may be contacted by the fingers so as to ink the fingers.

A document 32 such as a check, note or the like is adapted to bepositioned rearwardly of the roller 28 and engages in a guide member 33which is positioned between the upright walls of the frame 2|. The guidemember 33 is formed of a pair of spaced apart arcuate walls 34 having aplurality of spaced apart slots 35 therein, and the walls 34 areconnected at their lower ends by a connecting wall 36. The lower edge ofthe document 32 is adapted to rest on a plurality of pins 5| which arecarried by a bar or rod which is fixed to a pair of levers'38 carried bya shaft 39. The pins 5| project loosely through the slots 35. The shaft39 is journalled between the uprights of the frame 2|, and as shown inFigure 4 the levers 38 are formed with lateral extensions engagingthrough arcuate slots 40 formed in the side walls of the housing, andnuts 4|- are threaded onto the opposite ends of the rod or bar 31. Thenuts 4| provide a means whereby the levers with pins 5| may be adjustedto any desired position within the guide 33 so that a predeterminedportion of the document 32 will project upwardly through the slot 42which is formed in the top wall I3.

An idler roller 43 is journalled on a shaft 44 secured between theuprights of the inner frame. 2|, and roller 43 is positioned rearwardlyof the slot 42 so that when the document 32 is pressed downwardly by theinked fingers the document. will bend downwardly onto the roller 43 asshown in dotted lines in Figure 2. Rearward movement of the handpressing onthe document 32 will cause rotation of roller 43 and move thedocu ment 32 out of the guide orholder 33.

A light bulb 45 is positioned in a socket 4B which is carried by thepartition or intermediate wall |6 within the rear chamber l8. This lightbulb is of the type generating black light so that the fingerprints onthe document 32 may be readily viewed as the document is moved over therear portion of top wall 13 and over rear wall l5. It will be understoodthat the housing l may be formed of translucent material so that thelight emanating from bulb 45 will shine through the top wall of thehousing. Preferably the side walls of the housing are provided withlouvers 41' providing a ventilating means in chamber-l8 to maintain thechamber in a relatively cool condition while the light bulb 45 islighted. I b

A switch 48 is secured to an upwardly and forwardly inclined wall 49disposed below the rear wall l and is connected to the socket 46. Thewall 49 is formed with an opening50 to provide for projection of lightrays to light up the document placed on a table at the rear of thehousing.

Referring now to Figure 5 there is disclosed: a modified form of thisinvention embodying a housing 52 having a dome-shaped top wall 53 and abase 54. A partition or dividing wall 55 divides the housing 52 into; aforward printing I1 positioned within the forward chamber 56. An

inking roller 5! is rotatably mounted on. a shaft 52 carried by levers63 and levers 53 are rockably mounted on a shaft 54 extending across theupright sides 59' of U-shaped member Bil- Gne or more springs 65 aresecured to the forward ends of the levers E3. and secured: as at 66 tothe bottom 61 of the frame 60;. A transfer roller 58 is secured to acrankshaft '69 jonrnalled between the side members 59: of frame 60', andinking: roller 5| is held against roller 68 and partially projects: intoreservoir 58 so as to provide for spreading of ink on roller 68 when thelatteris rotated. by the crankshaft 69'. A portion of roller 58 projectsoutwardly through a slot 75 formed in the forward portion of top wall 53so that roller 58 may be contacted by thefingers in order to transferthe ink from the periphery of roller 63 to the fingers.

The frame at isprovided with a pair of downwardly' and inwardly inclinedslots Tl within which a document is adapted to be positioned, and thetopwall 53 is also formed with a slot '52 in order that a portion of thedocument may project above the top wall 53'. An idler roller T3 isrotatably mounted on a shaft 14 carried by the sides 59 of frame and ispositioned rearwardly of the slots i2. Roller I3 projects through anopening '15 formed in the top wall 53 and is adapted to be" rotated bythe fingers pressing the document downwardly and rearwardly asthefingers and hand are moved from roller 68 upwardly and rearwardly;

A light bulb T6 is mounted in a socket [1. dis.- posed in. chamber 51,and chamber 51 is provided with a rear opening (-8 through. which thelight I reservoir is. If. desired, this ink may be. of the i invisibletype. The document which is to be fingerprinted is inserted in the guide33, and levers 38 are vertically adjusted so that a substantial portionof document 32 will project above the top Wall l3. Roller 28 is rotatedby turning crank 35 so that the surface of roller 28 will be thoroughlyand evenly inked by transfer of the ink from roller 23. The fingers arethen pressed onto the projecting portion of roller 28, and the hand isthen moved forwardly so that the now inked fingers will come intocontact with the projecting portion of document 32. The hand is movedadditionally rearwardly with document 32 riding over rear roller underpressure from the hand and fingers.

The particular quality of the finger print can be easily and quicklydetermined by moving the document rearwardly to operative position withrespect to light bulb 45,

What is claimed is:

1. A fingerprinting machine comprising a housing formed of a base,opposite side walls, atop wall and. front and rear walls, an inkreservoir in said housing, a transfer roller, means supporting saidroller to dispose a portion thereof partly in said reservoir and partlyabove said reservoir, a second roller rotatably disposedin said housingengaging said first roller, said housing having a transverse slotthrough which said second roller partly projects, a crank fixed relativeto said second roller, and a third roller rotatably carried by saidhousing rearward of said second roller and projecting partly throughsaid top wall, said housing having a slot in said top wall between saidsecond and third rollers for removably receiving an article to beimprinted, the third roller being positioned for rotation by therearward il1QVi3i6I1tOf the article being imprinted.

2. A fingerprinting machine comprising a nousing formed of a base,opposite side walls, a top wall and front and rear walls, an inkreservoir in said housing, a transfer roller, spring-pressedmeans-supporting said'roll'er to dispose a portion thereof partly insaid reservoir and partly above said reservoir, a second rollerrotatably disposed in said housing engaging said first roller, saidhousing having a transverse slot through which said second roller partlyprojects, a crank fixed relative to said second roller, and a thirdroller rotatably carried by said housing rearward of said second rollerand projecting partly through said top wall, said housing having a slotin said top wall between said second and third rollers for removablyreceiving an article to be imprinted, the third roller being positionedfor rotation by the rearward movement of the article being imprinted.

3. A fingerprinting machine comprising a housing formed of a base,opposite side walls, a top wall and front and rear walls, an inkreservoir in said housing, a transfer roller, means supporting saidroller to dispose a portion thereof partly in said reservoir and partlyabove said reservoir, a second roller rot'atably disposed in saidhousing engaging said first roller, said housing having a transverseslot through which said second roller partly projects, a crank fixedrelative to said second roller, a third roller rotatably carried by saidhousing rearward of said second roller and projecting partly throughsaid top wall, said housing having a slot in said top wall between saidsecond and third rollers for removably receiving an article to beimprinted, the third roller being positioned for rotation by therearward movement of the article being imprinted, and a light bulb insaid housing rearwardly of said third roller for illuminating thearticle after the latter has been imprinted.

4. A fingerprinting machine comprising a housing formed of a base,opposite side walls, a top wall and front and rear walls, an inkreservoir in said housing, a transfer roller, means supporting saidroller to dispose a portion thereof partly in said reservoir and partlyabove said reservoir, a second roller rotatably disposed in said housingengaging said first roller, said housing having a transverse slotthrough which said second roller partly projects, a crank fixed relativeto said second roller, and a third roller rotatably carried by saidhousing rearward of said second roller and projecting partly throughsaid top wall, said housing having a slot in said top wall between saidsecond and third rollers for removably receiving an article to beimprinted," the third roller being positioned for rotation by therearward movement of the article being imprinted, and means limiting theprojection of the article into said latter named slot.

5. A fingerprinting machine comprising a housing having an upper wallwith a pair of transverse openings spaced longitudinally thereof, aninking roller projecting through the forward one of said openings, meansin said housing for distributing ink on said inking roller, a secondroller rotatably carried by said housing and partly projecting throughthe rearward opening, said housing having a transversely disposed slotin said upper wall between said openings for receiving an article to beimprinted, the second roller being positioned for rotation by therearward movement of the article being imprinted, and a crank connectedwith said first named roller.

6. A fingerprinting machine comprising a housing formed of a base,opposite side walls and a dome-shaped top wall, said top wall having apair of spaced transverse openings spaced longitudinally thereof, fingerinking means projecting through the forward one of said openings, and aroller rotatably carried by said housing projecting through the rearwardopening, said top wall having a slot between said openings and said sidewalls having slots extending downwardly from said first namedslot forremovably receiving an article to be imprinted, the second roller beingpositioned for rotation by the rearward movement of the article beingimprinted.

LLOYD FREDRICK JOHNSON. RICHARD THOMAS 'I'ENNANT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,857,822 Roberts May 10, 19322,172,904 Cox Sept. 12, 1939

